By Jessica Moore

Staff Writer

Alternative school students took a trip to the Sheriff's Department this week for a special program that may help them put their lives back on track.

Tuesday, Dec. 3, Sheriff Norman Dalton, Detective Tony Nichols, County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett, and Marshall County JECDB Executive Director Mike Wiles, along with Director of Schools Jackie Abernathy and the teachers involved with the alternative school program came together for the second Children's Attitude Management Program, also known as CAMP.

Nichols and Wiles worked together to apply for a three-star grant to help pay for the program. Last year, Dalton funded the program himself as a trial. After getting such a great response from those involved, they decided to see what they could do to help keep the program around for years to come. As of right now they have only had the program twice, once this year and once last year, but they hope to make it available during both fall and spring semesters.

During the program the youths who are in alternative school take a field trip to the Sheriff's Department. While there, speakers from all over come to speak to them. The first to speak was a representative from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness.) She educated the students on the different types of mental illness including obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, and several others. She also gave them many pamphlets and handouts explaining each disorder, how to deal with them, and where to get help.

The next speakers were Nichols and School Resource Officer Mauro Edwards. They explained their roles in law enforcement and how they are here to help students and their families, not to play a negative role in their lives. Edwards shared an interesting story after being asked about his dealings with an elephant. Apparently during a call in Honolulu Edwards was dispatched to deal with an elephant on the loose that had escaped a circus. Everyone enjoyed that story.

The next part of the program was to tour the jail. This was to show who makes up law enforcement and what their individual jobs are like as well as what could happen if someone were to continue down the wrong path. At this time the Marshall County Jail is housing 37 women and 150 men. The students learned what life in jail is like by seeing the prisoners' sleeping quarters, their "cots" which were no more than mats really, and hearing inspirational stories from several inmates who are more than ready to turn their lives around.

Overall the program was very inspirational and very informative. Hopefully it leaves the positive impact officials are hoping for. At the end of the program students were provided with a catered lunch and given armbands and backpacks with the word "Respect" on them along with mechanical pencils.